


Young at Heart

by SubtextEquals



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-10
Updated: 2013-03-10
Packaged: 2017-12-04 21:29:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/715291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SubtextEquals/pseuds/SubtextEquals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Remus's 53rd birthday and he has to brace himself for whatever surprise Sirius has in store for him.</p><p>Alternate universe where Remus and Sirius survive the war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Young at Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Just something I wrote quickly for March 10th, Remus's birthday. Short but sweet.

It was the tenth of March. Remus’s bones weren’t creaking from an impending transformation neither was he recovering from the full moon. It was, blissfully, the middle of the lunar cycle and for once his body was agreeing with him today. 

It was a far better cry from last year, when his birthday fell two days after the full moon. Sirius had fussed over him, brought him his cake in bed and sang happy birthday to him. He’d promised to make up for it next year. Now exactly one year later, Remus wasn’t sure what to expect. You could never tell with Sirius Black. But it had to be something dramatic.

When Remus woke that morning he found the other side of the bed empty. His brow furrowed into a look of confusion before he realized Sirius must have woke early to arrange things. Still, this was not the way he wanted to start the morning.

Getting out of bed was harder now that he was older. It had been for some years now. At 52—no, 53— his body was weakening. The monthly transformations were taking their toll. Still, he wasn’t so old that he couldn’t make it up on his own. His knees didn’t give way. He didn’t stumble. It was simply a stiffness that he had to shake off.

He changed right away in case Sirius’s surprise involved a visit from their friends and, in Sirius’s case, relatives (however few those were). After that he braced himself before entering the den.

“Alright Padfoot, what have you planned this—” He opened the door and found scarlet and gold streamers everywhere. Sirius had pulled a table into the center of the room and on it was a tremendous three tiered chocolate cake with, thankfully, only several candles on it.

Sirius stood behind the table, grinning broadly. Remus was still wary of setting foot in the room.

“You know there is no possible way the two of us can eat that much cake.” He commented lightly.

“That’s why we won’t be eating it alone. The others should be on their way in a few hours. I just wanted some time alone with you first.” Sirius stepped closer to Remus and put his arms around his waist.

Remus couldn’t help the smile that graced his features although his tone was mock stern, the way he would get when he halfheartedly protested a prank that he actually wanted to see happen very much. “Time alone had better not involve various states of undress.”

“No, that comes after the party.” Sirius winked. His eyes were playful and teasing and contained none of the dullness from Azkaban’s taint.

The years may not have been kind to his body, his handsomeness had faded, but Remus found him stunning nonetheless. All he had to do was look into his eyes and see the man that he used to be. That he still was.

“Incentive to get through whatever prank you’ve devised, I’m sure.” Remus said, ignoring how Sirius’s hands drifted down his backside.

“I notice you haven’t set foot in the den.” Sirius’s smile was still planted firmly on his face as he spoke. 

“Don’t worry, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“I’ve heard those words before.”

“It’s true this time. I think you’ve earned a break for your birthday.”

“Again, I’ve heard those words before.” Remus reached behind him and grasped Sirius’s arm to pull him away.

“Come on, Moony.” Sirius pouted but let his hands fall to his side.

Remus cursed himself for being unable to resist that look, even after all these years. “Oh, fine. But I swear if I get covered in glitter—”

“That was years ago.”

“It took me a week to get it out of my hair.”

“You loved it.” Sirius took Remus’s hand and pulled him into the living room. “Don’t try to deny it.”

“I loved you making up for it. That’s hardly the same—” He abruptly cut himself off.

The moment Remus took his third step into the room rose petals started to fall from the ceiling, drifting down lazily until they reached the floor, vanishing on impact.

“Sirius, you bloody romantic.” Remus said softly.

“Just don’t tell the whole world. I have a reputation, you know.”

Remus turned to Sirius and the wrinkles and lines on his face had faded. His hair was a dark, thick black instead of grey and thinning. It was no magic that Sirius possessed but love that made Remus see him the way he used to be. Before the second war, before Azkaban, back when they were young and invincible.

And suddenly 53 didn’t seem so old.


End file.
